The baseball world is mourning the loss of a good guy both on and off the field. Hall of Famer, Gary Carter, passed away Thursday afternoon at the age of 57. Carter was diagnosed with brain cancer in May 2011. The news was announced on his daughter, Kimmy Bloemers, website.
“I am deeply saddened to tell you all that my precious dad went to be with Jesus today at 4:10 pm. This is the most difficult thing I have ever had to write in my entire life but I wanted you all to know. He is in heaven and has reunited with his mom and dad. I believe with all my heart that dad had a STANDING OVATION as he walked through the gates of heaven to be with Jesus. ”
Carter’s career spanned 19 years and included time with the Montreal Expos, New York Mets, San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers. He retired after the 1992 season with a career batting average of .262, 324 home runs with 1,224 runs batted in. In 1986, he won a World Series Championship as a member of the New York Mets.
Known as “The Kid”, one would be hard-pressed to find a nicer, more respected person. He always had a smile on his face and had as much enthusiasm as you will ever find in a ballplayer. Shortly after the news broke on Thursday, former teammate and current Buffalo Bisons manager, Wally Backman, said he was changing his number to eight in honor of Carter.
Following his playing career, Carter spent time as a Florida Marlins broadcaster and managed in the minor leagues and in the NCAA. In 2001, he founded The Gary Carter Foundation in Florida with a mission of bettering the physical, mental and spiritual well-being of children. Since the foundation’s inception, it has placed over $622,000 for charitable purposes with $366,000 of that going to elementary schools for their reading programs.
Gary Carter was inducted into the New York Mets Hall of Fame in 2001, the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2003 and the National Baseball Hall of Fame the same year. Carter was born in California in 1954. He married his wife, Sandy, in 1975. The couple has three children and three grandchildren.
Gary Carter was class act, role model and a hero to many. The Good In Sports sends condolences to the entire Carter family and is very sorry for their loss.
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